MASS EFFECT: LEGACY
by CMDRDShepard
Summary: Not all the heroes in the Reaper War had the surname Shepard...


MASS EFFECT: LEGACY

A MASS EFFECT FAN STORY

BY DAVID A. JOHNSTONE

  
  


PROLOGUE

Nearly 900 years had elapsed since the darkest days in galactic history – known to many as The Reaper War. The Krogan knew this as The War of Patriots, which ultimately led to the eradication of the Genophage and a new beginning. To the Hanar this was The Age of Great Sorrow. Uniquely, the Asari referred to this as The Unity War; a time when the whole galaxy stood up as one, under the leadership of the great Commander Shepard. For the first time in over a million years, the endless cycle of genocide finally came to an end. Finally, organic and synthetic life throughout the galaxy now have a greater understanding of each other.

The Reapers, under the direct control of Leviathan and once the instrument of galactic genocide, started the arduous task of restoring the network of Mass Relays. The Citadel, the transportation hub of the galaxy which had been left in Earth orbit during the final days of the war, had been moved towards the Charon Relay beyond the orbit of Pluto. Approximately a century later, the majority of the network had been restored.

Former enemies, the Quarians and the Geth began the re-colonisation of Rannoch. Within a generation and for the first time in over 300 years, children were born free of their environment suits – able to feel the warmth of the sun on their skin. A monument was erected in the centre of the capital city representing the individuals that provided the foundation of peace for all, organic and synthetic: Shepard, Tali and Legion.

With a new era of peace and prosperity throughout the galaxy, a new Citadel Council comprising members of all the space-faring races began rebuilding the instrument of galactic bureaucracy.

*****

It was a dreary Wednesday morning as Admiral Moreau looked across her desk and out of the wide bay window, staring at the skyline of downtown Montreal. It was times like these she desperately missed her late husband. EDI reached over in the direction of the data pad which provided a breakdown of her itinerary for today, but stopped and picked up her holographic image of Jeff. Even after nearly a millennium since Joker's passing, she still had vivid memories of their happiness together.

Even oil and water (or more accurately, matter and anti-matter) personalities found love. Miranda and Jack's engagement and subsequent wedding shocked everyone, but their mutual love endured until Jack died peacefully in her sleep some forty years later.

As the years made way to decades, more of her friends and comrades she once knew passed away. Admiral Hackett had died at the grand old age of 136. Urdnot Wrex died (possibly of boredom) during a prolonged Krogan High Council meeting, discussing the waste management network of the capital city on Tuchanka. Even the single-mindedly ruthless and independent Matriarch Aria T'Lok passed away (suspiciously) of natural causes on Omega.

Council Spectre Grunt currently on assignment in the Terminus Systems, was still alive and kicking. That only left Matriarch Liara T'Soni. It had been several decades since EDI had spoken to her, shortly before Liara moved back into her family home on the Asari homeworld of Thessia.

The intercom on her desk interrupted her thoughts. "Admiral, I'm sorry but I tried to stop…"

The door opened to reveal a hooded figure shortly followed by EDI's assistant from the adjacent office. The figure lowered the hood of the robe to reveal the profile of a Krogan female, wearing the armour and insignia of a Council Spectre.

"Admiral, it is time… You're needed on Thessia!"

EDI closed her eyes and dropped back into her seat – Liara's dying…

*****

The journey to Thessia aboard the SSV David Anderson was rapid and uneventful. By Saturday morning EDI was in the intensive care ward in Shepard Memorial Hospital, staring at the figure of Doctor Liara T'Soni.

"What's her condition?"

The doctor looked up from her medical data pad. "Mentally, she's as lucid as you and me. Physically, I'm afraid it's only a matter of time. Her condition started to deteriorate about a week ago..."

"Can I see her?"

"Of course, go right in."

The doors parted as EDI entered intensive care, the dimly-lit room illuminated only by the life-support equipment next to Liara's bed.

"Doctor T'Soni?"

"Goddess! After almost a millennium I had hoped you'd have gotten used to calling me Liara!"

"Sorry – the Alliance Navy encourages a high degree of formality…"

"I'm joking, EDI! Please come and sit down." Liara gestured towards a chair near the life support equipment, and turned the seat towards the edge of the bed.

"So Admiral, how's that top secret project progressing?"

EDI looked at her in astonishment. "I don't know what you're talking..."

"Project Gateway? You're forgetting I used to be the Shadow Broker, so I know a thing or two about covert intelligence…"

EDI considered feigning ignorance, but it became abundantly clear Liara couldn't be easily fooled.

"Shortly before the war a group called the Andromeda Initiative sent several cryogenic sleeper ships into intergalactic space – their voyage would take more than 600 years. After the ending of hostilities and once the existing network of relays had been restored, the Council looked for a way to extend their range all the way to Andromeda. The project has been ongoing for centuries, but the super relays are now ready for testing."

"I remember the Initiative... I had the pleasure of talking to the human Pathfinder, Alec Ryder. He reminded me so much of Shep... "

Liara's eyes began to fill with tears but managed to maintain her composure. "So, you're planning to send an expedition to Andromeda... to see if there's any trace of the settlers or their descendants?"

"Is that why you called for me?" asked EDI.

"I just wanted to talk, to be with someone I know. The doctors haven't told me anything but I know I don't have much time left."

"You're perfectly fine…"

Liara lifted her head and turned. "As Jack was fond of saying, 'That's a load of fucking bullshit!'"

EDI sighed then smiled. "You forgot to say 'I WILL DESTROY YOU!'"

"I'm sorry EDI – this condition has made my work practically impossible. Thessia University has been busy updating their records on the Reaper War, and they've needed me to refine some of the smaller details."

"I wanted to talk to you, not to some academic with a recording device…"

"There's a story I wanted to tell you – not all the heroes in the war had the surname Shepard…"

CHAPTER ONE – "GREAT WOMEN DO NOT SEEK POWER…"

EARTH CALENDAR – 2183 AD:

When Amanda Ferguson was growing up in the south side of Glasgow, she dreamed of exploring space. Having recently graduated with an Honours Degree in Element Zero-based Engineering and Propulsion Systems (a bit of a mouthful on the diploma, she thought), a more realistic career path was working for one of the big interstellar shipyards on either Luna or Mars. That childhood dream was re-kindled after reading about the heroic exploits of Commander Shepard.

She had been waiting in the Alliance Navy recruitment office for about an hour, wondering if she had made a rash decision to enlist – a familiar voice on the monitor behind her solidified her decision…

"The Citadel Council members aboard the Destiny Ascension have been saved and despite high losses, the traitor Saren has been defeated and the Geth fleet destroyed…"

Amanda snapped her head to face the monitor, staring at the image of Commander Shepard.

"Today, humanity has earned their rightful place within the galactic community. I now have the honour of presenting our recently appointed representative to the Citadel Council, David Anderson…"

"Miss Ferguson…" called the recruitment officer, and with determination she marched towards the interview room.

*****

Six months later, Amanda – now Cadet Ferguson, was aboard the SSV Roddenberry en-route to Arcturus Station to commence her final training assignment prior to graduation. Her bunkmate George Vickery burst into their quarters…

"Quick! Turn on the monitor, ANN channel…"

A few seconds later she switched the monitor to the Alliance News Network.

"…we've received unconfirmed reports of an attack on the edge of Terminus space. It looks like the SSV Normandy has been hit by an unknown adversary. I must emphasise that this has not been confirmed independently, but there have been heavy losses… including Commander Shepard…"

Until the Roddenberry docked several days later she continued to watch, hoping the reports were inaccurate and Shepard would appear in front of the cameras alive and well. Then the interviews from the surviving crew of the Normandy confirmed her worst fears.

Her graduation was only about a month away, but her enthusiasm and that of her fellow cadets had all but faded…

CHAPTER TWO – "…THEY HAVE POWER THRUST APON THEM"

Two years had passed, and her assignment aboard the SSV Intrepid had begun – now a Lieutenant and given the responsibility of Assistant Chief Engineer. The Captain, a straight-talking Australian woman who had the misfortune to be born with the surname Kirk was ferociously loyal to her crew, almost to the point of insubordination.

The Intrepid was an old ship and spent most if it's time ferrying cargo between Illium and various Alliance Navy installations near the border of Turian space. Monotony became routine on the ship until about six months into her assignment, when rumours began to circulate that Shepard was alive and well but working for Cerberus. This proved to be the main talking point amongst the crew, many believing that Shepard had either defected to the secretive organisation or had simply went mad.

Reports came in that Shepard, now in command of a new Cerberus-built Normandy had started investigating human abductions from remote colony worlds. On her last shore leave on Illium, she heard stories that Shepard had been seeking a mysterious race called The Collectors. Over the following weeks and months, more pieces of the puzzle began to come together. The Collectors, now known to be the last of the Protheans, had been genetically modified by an ancient race of intelligent machines called the Reapers – a species widely believed throughout the galaxy to be a myth. Just a few short months later, the galaxy discovered the Reapers were very, very real...

On the bridge, an urgent message came through requesting all available ships to converge on Arcturus Station. Immensely powerful ships similar to the one that attacked the Citadel more than two years earlier, had begun to attack most of the space-faring races throughout the galaxy and news came in that Earth was one of the planets under attack. When the Intrepid jumped out of hyperspace near the huge space station, all that could be seen was a massive debris field.

The captain's voice erupted over the ships speakers: "All hands, battle-stations – incoming hostile vessel on intercept course! Engineer Myburgh report immediately to the bridge!"

Lieutenant Commander Charlie Myburgh, Amanda's direct superior and Chief Engineer of the Intrepid addressed Amanda in his South African accent, "Lieutenant, you have command of Engineering until I get back."

Amanda nodded as the commander disappeared into the lift at the opposite end of Engineering.

Although this wasn't the first time Amanda was in sole charge of Engineering, the Intrepid never encountered any hostilities during her time on board.

Arcturus Station, or what was left of it, was located near the edge of an asteroid field beyond the fourth planet of the nearby star system. Even at flank speed there was little hope the Intrepid could outrun the Reaper capital ship that was now bearing down on them.

Amanda looked over the monitors and it became evident that the Captain was trying to steer the ship into an area of the asteroid field that was too dense for the Reapers to follow. A voice from behind Amanda interrupted her concentration...

"Lieutenant, I'm picking up an energy spike – the Reapers are firing!" announced Ensign Lloyd.

A couple of seconds later a streak of plasma flared from the front of the Reaper ship. The energy beam sliced through the front of the ship, blasting out a huge section.

"We've sustained a major hull breach across decks one to four... Oh my god! The bridge took a direct hit..."

The rest of the crew in Engineering looked up at Amanda... and suddenly realised that she was the last surviving command-rank officer...

*****

Several seconds elapsed, then Amanda took a deep breath and began to issue orders.

"Auxiliary Control… set course for the nearest large asteroid... try and get us to the surface inside a deep crater or canyon."

She didn't wait for the response.

"Armoury… how many nukes do we have?"

A couple of seconds elapsed then a nervous voice answered "Four… three BB-212 devices and a single AS-99X..."

"OK, I'm invoking Directive Omega Three – get them removed from the missile housings and transfer them down to the main hangar!"

"Right away, sir"

Only the armoury crew referred the devices by their model numbers… to the rest of the crew they had three 200 megaton Bad Boys and a single 2 gigaton Argument Settler. These were the only weapons they had a chance of taking out the Reaper.

A couple of minutes later the sound of screeching and buckling metal indicated the Intrepid had hit the surface of a nearby asteroid.

"Cut all power… no electromagnetic emissions whatsoever. We need to make ourselves as silent as possible!"

"Hangar Bay… put one of the BB-212 warheads in a shuttle and arm it with a proximity fuse. I want the shuttle to fly into that asteroid 200 kilometres to port!"

The crewman in the hangar didn't understand the order, but followed it regardless.

Amanda turned round and explained, "I want the Reaper to think we've collided with that other asteroid, and the warhead hopefully will approximate the reactor going critical…"

"What happens if they don't give up?" asked Lloyd.

"That's why we need the other nukes…"

*****

With the main power off-line, the ship was running on emergency power cells – a quick calculation indicated there was just enough power to keep life support running for about another two hours.

The Reaper had approached to within scanning range of the nuclear blast, and spent several agonising minutes analysing the debris. The Intrepid had come to rest near the bottom of a deep ravine, and with the ship's main reactor disabled was practically invisible to sensors. The tension throughout the crew was immense, until the Reaper began to turn and move deeper into the asteroid field.

After about thirty minutes the Reaper was out of visual range. Amanda began preparations for stage two…

"Hangar Bay… get some crew into EVA suits. I want a high-band subspace transmitter placed on that adjacent asteroid, and the remaining nukes placed on the surface of three smaller asteroids at the following co-ordinates…"

Amanda punched up a schematic of the asteroid field, then relayed the relevant information.

"…I plan a little surprise for that bastard!"

*****

Over the following twenty minutes a small army of crew members had managed to place the transmitter and the remaining nukes into position.

Just as the last of the crew emerged from the airlock the officer at the controls of the sensor array turned to face Amanda. "Lieutenant, I think the Reaper has changed course... they're heading back in our direction!"

"I was afraid of this…"

Amanda let out an almost imperceptible sigh and began to address Lloyd.

"Send the activation codes to the transmitter… begin broadcast of a general distress call on all Alliance frequencies."

A few moments later the transmitter burst into life.

"That's it, the Reaper's heading our way!" signalled Lloyd.

"Wait until the Reaper is within 500 kilometres of the transmitter, then activate the proximity fuses on the smaller warheads."

As the Reaper approached the crippled hulk of the Intrepid the tension throughout the ship increased rapidly. A warning light on the sensor panel indicated the enemy had reached the desired position. Amanda gestured to Lloyd to activate the ship-wide speakers.

"All hands, prepare for close proximity nuclear detonations… all personnel get to your assigned shielded areas of the ship!

With the warheads this close to the Intrepid, the only hope the crew had was the steep walls of the ravine would be sufficient to deflect most of the radiation.

Lloyd began to read out the proximity of the Reaper. "450… 400... 350… 300!"

A fraction of a second before Lloyd could continue with the sequence, a brilliant light emerged from the top of the ravine walls followed by the inevitable shockwave. The Intrepid shook violently, but remarkably the ship remained intact.

Lloyd managed to compose himself and examine the scanner controls.

"There's too much interference… wait… picking up residual energy readings…" Lloyd announced, his voice trembling. "The Reaper's intact, and continuing it's intercept course!"

Amanda had moved next to Lloyd and stared at the scanners. "Has the Reaper detected the Argument Settler?"

"Negative Lieutenant… they're within the blast radius but so are we… I can't guarantee that we'll survive, even with the ravine walls to protect us".

"We've got no choice… if we do nothing, they'll finish us off regardless... transmit the detonation signal!"

Amanda activated the ship-wide speaker network… "All hands, brace for close proximity nuclear detonation!"

The final nuclear warhead exploded... This time it felt like the entire asteroid had been gripped by an enormous hand. The sound of creaking bulkheads could be heard throughout the ship...

Lloyd managed to steady himself, and reached towards the scanner… the rest of the crew in Engineering stepped forward and examined the readout. It had become apparent that the Reaper ship now resembled a white hot sun, surrounded by a huge radioactive cloud of debris. All of the crew stood in silent shock until Ensign Thornton, a normally quiet and shy officer stepped forward and screamed at the top of her voice… "BURN YOU CUNT!!!"

The outburst from an unexpected source managed to slice through the tension, as several members of Engineering cheered loudly, with a couple patting the young Ensign on the back. Amanda stepped up to Thornton and whispered…

"Excellent choice of words, Ensign!"

*****

The remaining crew had begun to assess the Intrepid's condition… Of the 250-strong crew, about two-thirds had survived the attack. Although a limited number of shuttles were still functioning they had little chance of escaping the asteroid's surface. When hope had all but faded a flashing light on the communications panel signalled an incoming transmission…

"Lieutenant, incoming signal… I'm picking up Turian identification codes within the transmission…"

Amanda bounced forward "Open a channel…"

A barely audible voice began to crackle on the overhead speakers… "This is Captain Voske of the Turian warship Entelzeh… we're en-route and should be in range in 20 minutes… what's your condition?"

"Captain, this is Lieutenant Ferguson… ship is heavily damaged… we've crash-landed on the surface inside a deep ravine… our life support is running on emergency power cells. We have no way of leaving the surface under our own power…"

"Understood Lieutenant, we'll deploy all available shuttles to your location once we're in orbit above you."

CHAPTER THREE – "GENESIS OF A HERO"

Amanda gathered on the bridge of the Turian cruiser, accompanied by a group of her fellow crewmates from the Intrepid. She stepped forward and began to address the crowd. "We're here to honour our Captain, our fallen comrades and fellow shipmates. I'm not very good at speeches or eulogies... instead I would like to quote Sir Walter Scott… 'Soldier, rest! Thy warfare o'er, Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking; Dream of battled fields no more, Days of danger, nights of waking…'

"Goodbye shipmates… and friends…"

Amanda gestured to Lloyd and a transmission was sent to the Intrepid, signalling the overload of the ship's reactors. A brilliant burst of light could be seen within the ravine as their former ship collapsed into itself.

The Captain of the Entelzeh had been hovering at a respectful distance from the Intrepid survivors, and after the crowd began to disperse moved towards Amanda.

"Lieutenant, we've received a message from Alliance command… we'll rendezvous with your fleet in the next few days, and your crew will disembark. You won't be joining them as you've been ordered to report directly to Admiral Hackett… he's waiting for you on the Citadel."

Very few junior officers ever encountered the Alliance top brass, let alone the head of the navy. Although the Intrepid had been lost, Amanda had been directly responsible for ensuring their safety. She never considered herself to be a hero, but footage had been released by the Entelzeh showing the moment the Reaper had succumbed to the violent fury of a nuclear warhead. Various news channels continued to repeat the footage, which had the effect of bolstering confidence and boosting morale throughout Alliance space. Even ANN had described Amanda as the Hero of Arcturus and the Reaper of Reapers…

*****

About a week after the Entelzeh had delivered the Intrepid survivors to the Alliance fleet, the Turian ship docked at the Citadel. Amanda had obtained a dress uniform from the Captain of the SSV Turing, and she made her way towards the Alliance Navy offices.

Hackett's assistant gestured Amanda towards the private office of Admiral Hackett, and the doors parted...

"Lieutenant Ferguson, reporting as ordered sir". Amanda stood to attention and offered a salute. Hackett remained seated and without looking up at her replied, "At ease, Lieutenant! Take a seat."

"You seem to have made a name for yourself, Lieutenant. The news feeds are buzzing with your achievements. I've been reading your official report and the testimony of the crew… they and the media appear to consider yourself something of a hero. Is there anything else you care to add?"

Amanda began to clear her throat. "Admiral, I don't consider myself a hero in the slightest. I was terrified… It's the crew and their professionalism that got them out of this crisis. I wish the Captain was here…"

Hackett stood up and walked towards the main window. "The reason I called you here is I need someone to deliver some Cerberus equipment to us. A group of Cerberus engineers were marooned on Omega after their forces retreated. A representative of the Alliance Navy will meet you there… this mission is of the utmost secrecy, do you understand Lieutenant?"

"Yes, Admiral… when do I leave?"

"A freighter is berthed at dock 17… her Captain will provide you further orders once the ship is underway."

"Yes, Admiral…"

"Dismissed!"

As Amanda walked to the exit of Hackett's office, the Admiral re-activated the audio feed on the communications terminal…

"She's on her way..."

A familiar figure on the terminal screen nodded in approval…

*****

The journey aboard the freighter had taken about a week to traverse the distance from the Citadel to Omega. Her Captain, a Volus by the name of Vizzek had given Amanda the orders… report to the leader of Omega… an Asari called Aria T'Lok in her office overlooking the nightclub Afterlife.

Stepping through the main entrance of Afterlife, she approached the stairs leading up to the office. A Turian by the name of Grizz stepped forward, blocking Amanda's way.

"You got an appointment, Human?"

"Just tell her I've come from the Citadel… have a parcel to collect for the Alliance!"

Grizz glanced over in the direction of the office and an unseen figure gestured for Amanda to approach. As she entered the dimly lit room, several mean-looking mercenaries started to surround her and within a couple of seconds she was standing in front of an imposing Asari.

"So, you're the delivery girl Hackett sent? You look kinda cute…"

Amanda's gaze remained fixed on the Asari and she responded, "I'm Lieutenant Ferguson… I understand you have a piece of Cerberus equipment for me?"

Aria smirked. "I'm assuming Hackett never told you the nature of the equipment?"

Amanda looked confused… she responded, "Exactly how big is the equipment?"

"All I can say is that your Volus friend on the freighter won't be able to take it on his ship. Grizz will show you the way to level 14G… someone down there will explain further."

Amanda began to follow Grizz out of Aria's office towards the lift at the far end of the nightclub, then Aria added, "You're gonna love it!'

*****

The lift doors parted into a large, dimly-lit room. Her footsteps created an eerie echo... After a few minutes standing in near darkness Amanda could hear another series of footsteps getting louder and louder. An unexpected voice made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up…

"Lieutenant…"

It couldn't be… she closed and opened her eyes slowly, then began to turn her body towards the source of the voice... and Commander Shepard greeted Amanda with a welcoming handshake.

"Ma'am?" responded a nervous Amanda.

"At ease! In case you're wondering I'm Hackett's contact… just making sure that you receive the Cerberus package."

Amanda was familiar with the physical features of Shepard… She couldn't help but admire the nobility, and for quite some time had something of a crush on the Commander. The smile was warm and friendly, but could see in the Commander's face the signs of great pain and loss...

"I won't be here long… have to make a trip to the old Quarian homeworld of Rannoch. Hopefully, the outcome will enable us to finally go on the offensive. Now, before I go… I'll let you see the gift those Cerberus engineers left us."

Shepard moved to a control panel and the dimly-lit room began to get brighter. To Amanda's amazement, the dark shape in the centre appeared to resemble a ship…

"This is the second Normandy SR-2 prototype built by Cerberus. Aria had arranged to remove the old Cerberus colour scheme on the hull, but didn't inform me she had taken the liberty of painting it black! She had also offered to add a little embellishment along the side of the fuselage, but I declined her offer when she told me it would say in luminous red lettering: "FUCK CERBERUS!"'

"It looks awesome Commander!" replied Amanda. Then she realised, "So, this is the package Hackett wanted me to deliver?"

"Sort of… I have a message from Hackett: 'I, Admiral Steven Hackett, hereby bestow the battlefield commission of Captain to Lieutenant Amanda Eleanor Ferguson… you have shown exemplary commitment to duty and your selfless and swift actions have proved your suitability for this rank and associated responsibilities. Congratulations… Captain!"

Amanda wasn't sure about what she felt… a mixture of supreme pride and utter terror at the immense responsibility in commanding a ship.

Shepard continued. "I just need to show you something…"

The Commander spoke into her biotic interface and the exterior illumination on the vessel slowly began to reveal the outline of the ship. Amanda moved closer and she could make out white lettering on the portside… INTREPID.

"Nearly forgot… 'Captain Amanda Ferguson, you are requested and required to take command of the SSV Intrepid. Further orders will be revealed via Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy.'"

"This ship is almost an exact duplicate of the Normandy apart from a few key differences…" continued Shepard. "There's no EDI, just a standard VI. The reactor has a slightly higher output, marginally faster at sub-light speeds, and the primary weapon relays are channelled directly through the main engine, increasing maximum output. But the ship is only as good as the people under your command… Your first assignment is to head back to the Citadel and assemble a crew. Once I'm back from Rannoch, you'll receive further orders."

Shepard turned and headed out of the docking bay and Amanda looked up at her new command. She stepped forward and uttered under her breath "What the fuck have I gotten myself into…?"

*****

Amanda stepped through the portside hatch and was welcomed aboard by a human male wearing Cerberus clothing.

"Captain, welcome aboard. I'm Julian Tilbury and I'll be escorting you back to the Citadel."

"You're Cerberus?" asked Amanda.

"Ex-Cerberus… and a group of my colleagues were planning on defecting to the Alliance, but when Omega was occupied our plans were put in jeopardy."

"How many?"

"There's about a dozen of us… just enough to provide you with a skeleton crew."

"OK, Julian. Please take me to the flight deck."

As Amanda entered the forward most part of the ship, she looked down at the pilot's seat. A fellow Alliance officer was occupying the station, and he looked up.

"Captain… I'm Lieutenant Armstrong. All ship systems are showing green across the board, and Omega control as given us clearance to depart."

"Very well, Mr Armstrong. Signal Omega that we're about to depart. Give me ship-wide, Lieutenant."

Armstrong accessed the internal communications array, and all the speakers throughout the ship burst into life. "This is the Captain, all personnel prepare for departure. Lieutenant, take us out…"

The speakers around the hangar bay erupted with the sounds of a warning siren, signalling anyone remaining to vacate immediately. After about thirty seconds the alarm began to be drowned out with the sound of pumps purging the air out of the hangar as the bay de-pressurised. The wide hangar doors slid open and the hangar became Illuminated by the rays of the nearby sun. The Intrepid's forward mounted spotlights switched on as the jet black former Cerberus cruiser slowly lifted itself off the landing pad, then lurched forward as the main engines burst into life.

The ship veered slowly to starboard as it began to enter open space. Amanda crossed her arms, as Armstrong announced, "Approaching the local relay and we have permission to jump... "

"Set course for the Citadel relay and proceed, Lieutenant..."

As the ship approached the relay, it felt like a huge imaginary hand had grabbed the Intrepid. An intense energy field suddenly enveloped the vessel, as it was hurled out of normal space towards its destination thousands of light years across the Galaxy...

*****

Amanda had spent the last couple of hours studying several dozen Alliance crew profiles, trying to decide between them for senior officer positions. The door chimed as she placed the data pad back on the desk.

"Enter..."

Julian stepped into the Captains private quarters and began to speak, "Apologies for bothering you sir, but I'd thought you'd like to know we're about to jump to normal space."

"Yes, thanks. Never thought sifting through crew performance and evaluation reports could be so riveting!"

Julian initially wasn't sure about Amanda, but her informal and easy going personality quickly put him at ease. He responded with a broad smile, "I've been an engineer for the better part of fifteen years, spending most of that pouring over engineering schematics, running simulations and constructing prototypes without ever getting into deep space. I thought things would change for the better after joining Cerberus, but the Elusive Man's agenda had troubled me and many of my colleagues for months."

"Agenda?" asked an inquisitive Amanda.

"A lot of our resources were being redirected into biotic and genetic manipulation... technologically impressive, but clearly morally and ethically dubious. The improvement of the human race is certainly a noble cause, but not at the expense of free will or the subjugation of other races."

"I've been sifting through reports of Cerberus troops attacking various colonies and outpost, including our settlement on Eden Prime." responded Amanda, as she escorted Julian towards the elevator, "The only connection is the presence of Prothean artefacts."

"The engineer part of me felt glad we discovered those Prothean relics on Mars, leading to unlocking the Charon relay. Without Prothean technology humanity would still be confined to our own solar system. Right now, wish I never left the farm..." responded Julian.

"I never lived in the country." Replied Amanda, "Would spend the occasional long weekend away to the Highlands or maybe Skye... anywhere quiet, and preferably away from technology of any kind. Sitting by an open fire and a good bottle of Islay single malt to keep me company."

As the elevator door opened onto the command deck, Amanda stepped out and said "OK, time to get back to work... "

*****

Amanda emerged from the Intrepid's airlock, and out onto the walkway leading to one of the countless mooring areas for docked ships. Most of the remaining docking bays were filled with a mixture of freighters, personnel transports, fuel tankers and even a myriad of military vessels representing nearly every space-faring civilisations from across the galaxy. Most of them had severe battle damage, and their surviving crew were clearly demoralised.

Above and below these docking bays were located cargo storage areas, but the cargo storage modules were now fully occupied with weary-looking refugees, many in a state of shock, others crying in utter desperation. As Amanda entered the elevator to the ward areas of the Citadel and stepped off near the C-SEC offices, she thought to herself that this was truly the End of Days.

The Alliance Navy quartermaster on the station had arranged a bespoke uniform, with the appropriate rank insignia and gold braiding. A small crowd had formed around large holographic displays close to an Avina terminal, and as she got closer she realised with great sadness what the scrolling text represented…

Looking over the readout, it became clear it was a casualty report. The immensity of the war was truly staggering, as the death toll was impossible to comprehend. The casualties now totalled in the trillions... so many in fact only the names of the worlds that had fallen to the advance could be displayed.

An interactive map in the centre of the display represented the galaxy, green dots showing untouched systems, orange for systems currently under attack but meeting stiff resistance, and finally red for whole worlds that had fallen completely silent. After only a few short months vast swathes of the Galaxy had turned red, including areas that once belonged to the Batarian Empire. Out of the 40 billion Batarians that had resided on worlds within their borders less than 70,000 had survived, mostly freighter crews, freelance pirates operating out in the Terminus Systems, and a handful working for the Blue Suns, Eclipse and Blood Back mercenary factions based on Omega.

As Amanda lowered her head in solemn reflection, a figure behind her began to speak...

"I was hoping to get some information about some of my old classmates, but I never realised the sheer number of casualties."

Amanda thought she recognised the voice, and turned to find herself face-to-face with her old friend George Vickery...

"Bloody hell, Amanda... ", exclaimed George, then stopped when he saw the Captain rank insignia on Amanda's uniform jacket. "Forgive me, Captain..." continued George, standing at attention and offering a nervous salute.

"At ease, George... or you'll do yourself an injury!" answered Amanda, and stretched out her hand to offer a welcoming handshake.

"Have you been here long?" continued Amanda.

"About a week... We took heavy damage trying to escort a Salarian civilian transport. Our ship managed to provide covering fire to allow the transport to jump here, but we took a lot of casualties in the process. We made it here, but the SSV Obama is too far gone to be salvageable."

"The Intrepid is in good condition, but we're desperately in need of a good crew..."

Before Amanda could continue, an excited crowd began to grow near a news terminal. Amanda and George approached then an Asari shouted out, "Finally... we have some good news!"

The two Alliance officers stared at the ANN reporter on the viewscreen.

"We can now confirm the earlier reports are accurate – there is now a peace treaty in place between the Quarian and the Geth. Commander Shepard has been instrumental in establishing a dialogue, and their respective military forces have agreed to join the fight against the Reapers. Geth ground troops including a substantial number of Geth Primes have been deployed alongside our forces fighting on the front lines..."

"This is exactly what the Galaxy needs... Hope!" responded Amanda. "We may finally take the fight to those bastards... and take Earth back!"

"The Obama crew are eager to get back into the fight, but most of the senior officers were either killed or severely wounded."

"Well, the one thing I'm desperate for is an experienced crew... Hackett gave me broad discretion to select whomever I need. If you can get as many of your crew to agree, can you get them to meet me at the Intrepid by 21:00 tonight?"

George hesitated for a moment, then answered "To become a crew member of a Normandy-class cruiser? You couldn't hold them back with a rampant Thresher Maw!"

Amanda smiled, "OK then, dismissed Lieutenant... "

*****

Amanda had finished her cup of tea as the Intrepid's VI announced...

REMINDER: THE TIME IS NOW 20:55 HOURS – SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT IN FIVE MINUTES

She placed the tea cup down onto the saucer then reached for a small brown box sitting next to her email terminal. The journey from her private cabin to the external hatch took less than a minute... As the outer hatch opened, the sound of numerous conversations abruptly ceased... Then a single voice boomed, "ATTENTION! CAPTAIN ON DECK!"

The voice came from a tall, muscular woman. Alliance cadets instantly recognised the type, generally associated with a male actor from Earth's late twentieth and early twenty-first century – immortalised by the character of Gunny. Somehow, the Alliance Navy had managed to take the personality and mannerisms and imprinted this on every drill sergeant throughout the service. Curiously, every ship had their very own Gunny...

The woman stepped forward, offering the stiffest of stiff salutes and continued, "COMPANY AND CREW REPORTING AS ORDERED, CAPTAIN!"

Amanda made a vain attempt to repeat the salute, then stepped back and responded... "At ease, crewmen!"

"Thank you for coming... I know you've all gone through a lot since the start of this war, and I also know you deserve shore leave... But the Alliance need you, I need you..."

Amanda stopped for a moment to catch her breath, then continued. "With the forces now at our disposal, we finally have a chance to strike back... To pull the Galaxy out of the darkness, and into the light... We're fighting not just for all mankind, but for every sentient species across countless worlds. The Reapers ravaged the Galaxy 50,000 years ago, and countless times before that... NEVER AGAIN WILL WE BOW TO THEIR TYRANNY... WE WILL PREVAIL!!!"

The crowd erupted in cheering, and Amanda stepped back to allow the crew aboard the Intrepid. The last person to embark was George, and as Amanda approached he said, "One hell of a speech... One for the history books!"

Amanda couldn't help but let out a giggle... "Shepard was my inspiration, she was always a good orator."

She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the little brown box. "I have this for you George. I couldn't think of a better person for the job."

Opening it revealed gold braiding on blue fabric, "I'll need a First Officer I can trust... What do you think, Commander Vickery?"

George pulled out the fabric and quickly realised they were gold stripes meant for the sleeves of his uniform jacket. At the bottom of the box was the brass insignia, representing the rank of Commander. He looked up at Amanda and fumbled for a coherent reply, "I don't know what to say..."

"You could begin with... 'Commander George N. Vickery, First Officer of the SSV Intrepid, reporting for duty sir!', unless you'd prefer to remain here, and I ask Lloyd to be my Number One!"

That managed to alleviate the tension, "Permission to come aboard?"

Amanda extended her hand and responded, "Granted, my friend... Now, let's get to work!"

CHAPTER FOUR – "BAPTISM OF FIRE"

With the sudden influx of Quarian and Geth reinforcements, morale and a greater sense of confidence extended throughout the Galaxy... The unrelenting Reaper advance had finally been slowed down, and in some of the fiercest exchanges they had actually been pushed back.

The Intrepid was now underway and heading into deep space. Amanda had received limited orders mentioning only their destination... The Wolf 359 system.

A largely unexplored star system with little or no strategic significance. Except it was less than eight light years from the heart of Alliance space. If the Intrepid was destined to join the fight to retake Earth, the Wolf system would make an ideal staging area.

The Intrepid emerged from hyperspace and began to enter the edge of the system. Wolf 359 was less than a billion years old, insufficient time for planets to form. The mass of stellar debris made it an ideal place to conceal an entire fleet within its perimeter.

The faint glow from the star barely had the strength to separate the black silhouette of the Intrepid from the background stars. It became abundantly clear that Aria chose the colour scheme to make it as stealthy as possible. It also had the effect of making it look super cool...

Amanda had managed to track down several of the old Intrepid's crew – Lloyd and Thornton, both recently promoted, had been appointed to the positions of Chief Engineer and Communications Officer respectively. An indicator began to flash on the communications panel and Lieutenant Thornton began to speak.

"Captain, we're receiving an encrypted transmission. Detecting Alliance identification codes..."

"Relay it to the VI for decryption, Lieutenant."

Several seconds elapsed, then the VI responded:

DECRYPTION PROTOCOL – ALLIANCE SEVEN-SEVEN-SIX LAMDA

MESSAGE SUCCESSFULLY DECODED:

RENDEZVOUS CO-ORDINATES AUTO LOADED INTO NAVIGATION SYSTEMS.

PROCEED WITH HASTE.

FURTHER ORDERS TO BE REVEALED AT DESTINATION.

END TRANSMISSION

Armstrong called out from the flight deck, "Co-ordinates programmed... we're ready to go."

"OK, let's see what's waiting for us. Half speed ahead."

The journey towards their destination was time consuming as the Intrepid had to navigate through a dense asteroid field. Several hours had elapsed and the ship finally arrived near the centre of the field near a large asteroid measuring close to a thousand miles across.

"Captain, we're receiving a transmission... audio only. Relaying to speakers."

Thornton tapped the relevant controls, and static emerged from the overhead speakers.

"Ferguson, Captain... Please approach asteroid towards crater at co-ordinates 229 by 172 by 36."

As the Intrepid began its approach towards the huge crater, something truly astonishing occurred... the base of the crater started to open, and as the ship reached the opening it became clear the asteroid's surface was only a couple of miles thick.

"I've seen some amazing feats of engineering in my time, but this is just amazing!" proclaimed Julian, his eyes wide open with excitement.

"I visited a small outpost located inside an asteroid, but that was just a couple of hundred metres across and took eighteen months to hollow it all out." replied Amanda, as she approached the flight deck and stared directly ahead. As the ship ventured further into the darkness, a voice crackled into life over the speakers…

"Welcome Intrepid... you are cleared to land on the platform to your starboard."

Amanda peered out of the starboard window, and spotlights began to illuminate the landing platform. After a couple of minutes the ship's landing gear made contact with the landing pad and the interior of the asteroid began to re-pressurise.

As the portside hatch opened and Amanda stepped onto the platform, a familiar figure emerged from the darkness.

"Admiral?"

"Apologies for the secrecy, Ferguson. There's something we need to discuss…" replied Hackett.

*****

The crew of the Intrepid were led into a large conference chamber, surrounding by hundreds of Geth of various sizes and design. Amanda was directed towards the centre and was greeted by a single Geth unit.

"Ferguson, Captain... we've brought you here to participate in an important mission. One small but critical part of a greater attack leading to the eventual liberation of Earth…"

"Operation Gauntlet... the combined Aliance/Geth endeavour to retake your installations on Europa and Mars."

Over the next three hours, the Geth described in more detail about the forthcoming battle, along with their objectives. Towards the end of the briefing, Hackett emerged through the crowd and stood next to the Geth.

Hackett stepped forward and began to address the crowd. "We have the foundation of an attack plan, but I need input from our three most experienced commanders... Captains Rodriguez, Galen, Ferguson, please step forward."

Amanda looked over her shoulder as two Alliance officers passed her to stand in front of the head of the Alliance Navy, and with some trepidation made the short walk to stand alongside.

"I need you to submit revised plans of attack... we'll reconvene here at 0500 Zulu... Dismissed!"

As the crowd began to disperse, Amanda felt sick to her stomach...

*****

Back aboard the Intrepid, Amanda was staring at strategic reports. After about an hour, a knock on the door interrupted her concentration.

"May I come in?"

Amanda turned to face the source of the question, and responded by standing to attention and offered a hasty salute. "Of course, Admiral."

"At ease, Captain. Just wanted to check in with you. Making any progress?"

Amanda sat back down and began to explain her ideas to Hackett.

Over the next hour, the Admiral slowly digested the information. He turned and began to massage his chin.

"It certainly has potential... Send me your full report by 0300, and will make my decision at the briefing at 0500."

Hackett turned to leave, but Amanda stood up and asked. "Sir, I'm deeply honoured that you want my opinions on the forthcoming battle, but there are more senior officers that would be more worthy..."

"You're one of the most battle-hardened and trustworthy officers in the fleet... and to be frank, you remind me of Shepard. You have proved to me that you're a capable and resourceful individual. I'll see you at 0500."

Amanda slumped back into her seat, and after Hackett left her quarters muttered to herself, "No pressure then..."

*****

Amanda arrived in the briefing room about ten minutes early, carrying several data pads in a shoulder satchel. The room filled up rapidly and as the time hit 0500, Hackett approached the lectern.

"After reviewing the submitted plans of attack, I've made the decision... Captain Ferguson, please step forward."

Her knees almost gave way as she stepped forward. Hackett gestured for her to stand at the lectern, and began to address the crowd.

"Operation Gauntlet... our initial objective is to retake Europa. To that end we need a diversion to split the Reaper forces."

"Stage one... Three Alliance cruisers will emerge from hyperspace at the following co-ordinates."

A huge display lit up overhead, displaying Jupiter and all of the major moons within the Jovian system.

"The Agamemnon, Clarke and Vespa will proceed towards Callisto as a diversionary tactic. They'll be unmanned, transmitting fake life signs. Although no crew will be on board, they will be carrying a very special cargo... Element Zero-enhanced nukes. The Reapers will attempt to attack the ships, the resulting blast and shock wave will either destroy or critically damage the enemy, allowing the main force to proceed..."

Amanda paused briefly to catch her breath, but also to gauge the reaction throughout the room.

"Stage Two... The main assault fleet will emerge from hyperspace at the Lagrange point between Jupiter and Io. The intense radiation field in this area should mask our ships from detection. Providing the decoy ships have achieved their objectives, we should have a clear run at Europa. Geth ground troops will then be deployed at the LZ, with Alliance and Geth fighters providing air support."

Hackett could be seen watching the tactical display overheard, and smiled. Captain Rodriguez stepped forward.

"What's our projected casualties?"

At this point, Hackett stepped forward and responded.

"The Reapers won't make it easy for us, and there will be considerable casualties. But without bold moves and great sacrifice, we won't prevail. Everyone in this room, organic and synthetic have sworn to stand together in the face of the enemy... we will stand or fall... together!"

"All personnel, prepare your ships for departure... Dismissed!"

As the crowded room slowly emptied, Amanda started to collect her data pads from the lectern. Before she could put them into her satchel, Hackett turned to face her.

"I'll be taking my flagship to join the Normandy and the rest of the main assault fleet. Just have to provide you with the final details before the Intrepid departs."

"Of course, Admiral. But if you're leading the main assault, whom do I report to?"

Hackett smiled, then responded.

"As the Normandy will be the tip of the spear thrusting towards Earth, it seems fitting that her sister ship should lead the attack on Europa... and incidentally, I'm putting you in charge of Gauntlet."

Amanda felt her stomach tighten, and she struggled to retain the contents. "Sir, I hope I can justify your confidence in me..."

"Humility is a noble quality, but I need a strong and confident officer to lead. Without your determination and bravery, your crew of the old Intrepid would surely have perished. So, get out there Captain, and rip those bastards a new asshole!"

Hackett's unexpected profanity had the effect of cheering Amanda up, and her tense stomach relaxed. She stood straight and saluted.

"Permission to disembark?"

"Granted Captain, and safe voyages..."

With steely determination, Amanda strode to the Intrepid's docking bay.

*****

Amanda sat in her ready room aboard the Intrepid, looking over plans for the battle ahead. Her concentration was interrupted when the door chimed.

"Enter."

George entered the dimly-lit office. "Just thought you'd like to know that the Geth base has installed a batch of Eezo-enhanced missiles to be used in the main assault. We're in the middle of pre-flight checks, and we should be ready to depart within the next couple of minutes."

Amanda looked up from her mountain of data pads, and turned to face him. "How's the crew?"

She noticed tension in her First Officer. "They're eager to get underway and do their duty, but a lot of them are expecting to be dead in the next couple of hours. They're good at hiding it, but I'm worried."

"I know, the war scares the shit out of me as well… but Hackett has told me that Shepard has managed to rally the entire galaxy… brought together all of free space-faring races, to fight as one unifying force… I'm not a spiritual woman, but I like to think there may be some divine intervention at work here!"

The ship's intercom burst into life. "All senior officers please report to command deck… company and crew man your departure stations."

Amanda rose from her chair. "OK, my friend… let's get to work."

*****

The Jupiter-bound fleet comprising over a hundred assorted Alliance and Geth ships were now approaching their destination. Amanda stood over the tactical displays, viewing the remote transmission being broadcast from the lead decoy cruiser. They were expecting the Reapers to pounce on the ships, but seconds lead into minutes and nothing happened. The three ships entered orbit above Callisto, their scanners reporting no Reaper activity of any kind.

"This is damn peculiar…" stated Amanda. "I can't believe they'd leave the inner Jovian satellites completely unguarded..."

George stood next to Amanda and responded. "Then where the hell are they?"

The answer came quickly. Thornton turned to face the two senior officers.

"Sirs, priority signal from Gold Alpha… It's a distress signal!"

"Fuck! That's Hackett's ship… on speakers…" blurted out Amanda.

The overhead speakers burst into life, but emitted nothing more than static and crackling… after a few seconds a familiar voice came through.

"Hackett to Gauntlet Alpha… Hammer is meeting stiff resistance, and we're getting pulverised here! I'm transmitting new orders on a secure sub-channel…"

Thornton's hands moved rapidly to the secure descrambling circuits, and a readout of the fleet's revised destination appeared on the tactical displays. Countless white dots could be seen, several of them blinking out every few seconds. Amanda realised the dots were friendly forces being torn apart by the superior Reaper weaponry.

"Guess we have a real fight on our hands… Signal the fleet of our new destination, Commander. Thornton, put me on ship wide…"

The internal PA system's speakers burst into life.

"Attention, this is the Captain… We've received new orders. Our main assault to retake Earth desperately needs our help. To that end, we're joining Hammer to liberate our home world!"

"Command deck, we should be at the rally point in three minutes!" said Armstrong from the flight deck.

"All hands… battle stations!"

*****

The Gauntlet fleet exited hyperspace a few thousand miles from Earth, right in the middle of a melee of destruction. The two Alliance ships flying in formation next to the Intrepid were torn apart by the burnt-out husks of several Turian cruisers, and the Intrepid had to bank hard to avoid the debris from hitting the ship head-on. A large piece of hull from what was once the SSV Tripoli sliced through Intrepid's main fuselage on her starboard side, causing explosive decompression in the affected sections. Fortunately, the areas were unmanned and the Intrepid managed to clear the immense debris field.

Amanda managed to steady herself, as George picked himself off the floor. Amanda began to issue orders.

"Damage report!"

George managed to compose himself and reached for the appropriate readout.

"Weapons array offline… VI automation systems badly damaged. We only have power allocation and life support tied into the VI circuits, so everything else has to be accessed manually. The nukes are still functioning, but the doors to the launch tubes have buckled. Can't get those doors cleared without an EVA, and that won't be recommended in the middle of battle… and the pilot has reported the elastic band has snapped holding up the furry dice above his seat…"

"Which means…" replied Amanda.

"A more tasteful flight deck?"

Even in this desperate situation, George could still find the time to make a joke. Amanda smiled, but it didn't last.

"Where's Hackett's ship?"

"Alongside the Crucible, which is docked with the Citadel… they're vulnerable, and a Reaper ship is moving on their position. I see no other ships in interception range!"

Amanda thought for several seconds, then came to a sobering conclusion. Addressing Thornton, she ordered the ship's speakers be activated.

"All personnel… I'm invoking Omega One… All ship's company and crew immediately proceed to your assigned evacuation shuttle… This is not a drill!"

The officers behind her looked up in shock, but George understood. He quietly moved towards Amanda, and spoke softly, so no-one else could hear.

"I'll have the volunteers report to you immediately!"

"Commander, that won't be necessary…" and Amanda placed her hand on his shoulder. It took a few seconds for George to realise exactly what she was saying.

George closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, then turned to Thornton.

"Lieutenant, transfer all ships command codes to the following user ID…"

"Ready, sir!"

"User ID… Zero-One-Alpha!"

Gunny was standing several metres behind Thornton, and her steely posture momentarily crumpled upon hearing the words. She managed to regain her composure, then turned to face the astonished crew members.

"ON YOUR FEET, MAGGOTS!!! CAPTAIN ON THE BRIDGE… ATTENTION!!!"

Gunny turned to face Amanda, her arm and hand locked in an angular salute. The command deck officers stood and saluted the Captain in a similar manner.

George stepped forward and replicated the salute.

"Captain, serving with you has been my greatest honour…"

Amanda responded by clasping her hands in his. "No George, the honour is all mine… please organise the evacuation."

*****

As the last of the crew boarded the evacuation shuttles, Tilbury and the remaining ex-Cerberus officers were helping stow medical supplies amongst the vessels. Julian approached George, full of questions.

"What the hell's going on? What the story about this Omega directive?"

George and the surrounding Intrepid crew felt uncomfortable about the questioning, but he responded.

"The directive is broken into three orders… Omega Three, Two and One. All involve the use of our nuclear warheads. We have to take out that Reaper ship that's heading towards the Crucible and Hackett's flagship, and this is the only way. We can't use Three because we can't get the missiles out of the launch tubes, the automation systems are fried…"

Julian's body slumped as he finally began to understand… Omega One requires someone to remain on board to ram the Reaper…

"Get your former Cerberus asses onto those shuttles now… we're leaving in two minutes!"

*****

Amanda walked down the corridor from the deserted command centre to the flight deck, dropped into the pilot's chair and activated the communications array.

"Ferguson to shuttle bay… all vessels are cleared for departure."

A nervous voice responded. "A… Acknowledged sir…"

The bay doors parted as the shuttles streaked out of the de-pressurised bay… within seconds they were out of visual range, and Amanda brought the Intrepid about towards the Citadel.

"Disengage life support to all unoccupied sections, and transfer excess power to propulsion systems."

The VI responded as the power allocation panel highlighting the appropriate ship's system. Amanda ran her fingers across the helm controls, and slid her fingers forward. The engines roared into life, and the Intrepid began to accelerate rapidly. The VI responded accordingly.

PROPULSION SYSTEMS AT 137 PERCENT OF NORMAL OPERATING POWER ALLOCATION

WARNING: SUSTAINED OPERATION MAY CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO MAIN ENGINES

"Guess that's the warranty buggered then!" responded Amanda, as she looked over the navigation display. The Intrepid was heading along the correct course, and her attention moved over to the weapons panel. Her access codes were entered, and the VI responded again.

NUCLEAR ORDINANCE ARMED – DETONATION SEQUENCE SET 0.01 SECONDS PRIOR TO IMPACT

She laughed out loud. "Guess that'll seriously fuck up the warranty!"

She sighed, then leaned back in the pilot's seat. Her right hand entered her jacket pocket, and pulled out a plastic box with pressure-sensitive controls. She placed it into a makeshift holster attached to Intrepid's internal speakers, and activated the ancient device. A small display lit up, displaying a series of numbers and words. She browsed through the list, and selected one particular entry and pressed the triangular-shaped button.

The VI responded with the following words:

CONNECTION ESTABLISHED – PLAYING SONG "ASHES TO ASHES" BY DAVID BOWIE

The overhead speakers burst into life, and Amanda's tension relaxed. A quick calculation revealed time to target was about the same as the current song. As she realised her life was coming to an end, Amanda began to imagine the faces all of her friends and loved ones… Slowly, the song reached its last few seconds, she accepted her fate… then the flight deck speakers burst into life, crackling with static…

"All fleets, the Crucible is armed… Disengage and fall back to the rendezvous point. I repeat, disengage and get the hell out of here…"

Amanda jolted upright and hurriedly grabbed the controls and tried to bank the Intrepid hard to starboard. At the same time, she reached for the weapons panel and deactivated the arming signal of the warheads. Doing too many things at once had consequences, as the portside wing clipped the side of the Reaper, and the whole wing was torn off the fuselage. The ship span almost uncontrollably, until several agonising seconds had elapsed she managed to stabilise the motion.

The helpless wreck was drifting without power, as the Reaper turned to face the Intrepid. As the Reaper began its firing sequence, the Crucible burst into life. A streak of brilliant green light shot across the black of space and impacted the Mass Relay at the far end of the solar system, followed by an immense shockwave. The Reaper sensed the approach of the shockwave, stopped its weapons charge and turned. The wave hit the Intrepid, and Amanda was thrust back in her set… everything went black…

*****

As Amanda opened her eyes, her surroundings had changed. The room was brightly lit, but she felt the throbbing of an intense headache. She was in bed, and as she pulled back the covers a voice from a figure standing near the doorway began to speak.

"Admiral… she's awake!"

She lifted herself up, as Hackett stepped into the room. He looked odd, until Amanda realised his eyes were glowing a ghostly green colour. She raised her fingers towards her face, and her eyes also felt strange.

"Take it easy, Captain… You've been through a lot and you need to rest… that's an order!"

Amanda was puzzled. "What's going on sir?"

"We won, Ferguson… the war is over!" replied the Admiral.

"Where am I?"

"You're aboard an Asari medical frigate in Earth orbit. You can head down to the surface once you're fully rested."

Amanda pulled herself out of bed and reached for a nearby housecoat. Turning to face the Admiral, she asked the senior officer. "Either I have one hell of a hangover, or all of a sudden everything is glowing a freakish green!"

"It's to do with the manner of our victory. Not entirely sure about the particulars, but the Catalyst reprogrammed the Reapers, which are being used to rebuild and repair. Also, there's been a transformation of both organic and synthetic life. Until we hear from other worlds across the galaxy, we won't know what else has happened. Unfortunately, the side effect of using the Catalyst has disabled the entire Mass Relay network."

Hackett continued. "The Citadel Council is due to reconvene in the next few weeks, and I'll need my most trusted commanding officers there for the ceremony of remembrance. In the meantime, get some rest."

As Hackett departed, Amanda returned to bed and for the first time in an eternity finally relaxed.H

CHAPTER SIX – "HOLLOW VICTORIES"

Several days had elapsed since her release from the orbiting hospital bed, and had finally made it back to Earth. Her shuttle had touched down near the centre of Queens Park in the south side of Glasgow, and she started to stroll through the gates leading towards the top of Victoria Road. The long straight road was once lined with tenement buildings, now reduced to rubble. The handful of locals were picking through the remnants of the granite buildings, hoping to find cherished reminders of friends and family members lost in the war.

It had taken Amanda well over an hour to find the spot, and stepped through the rubble of her old family home. She knelt down and slowly sifted through the masonry until Amanda located what she was looking for. She brushed the dust off the small marble case and slowly opened it… Several photographs of her now deceased family. She collapsed and began to weep uncontrollably, feeling the tears stinging her eyes.

She had been running on anger and fury at the Reapers for so long, Amanda had never found the time to properly grieve. Now, all over the globe and on countless worlds across the galaxy, survivors of the war trying to re-adjust to living with the devastation. Soon the rebuilding will begin, but now was the time to remember and honour the fallen.

Her omni-tool started to vibrate, signalling an incoming message. Amanda pulled herself up, and responded.

"Apologies for the interruption, Captain. Just got word that the remembrance ceremony has been brought forward. You're requested on the Citadel."

"Acknowledged. Have the shuttle meet me back at the LZ"

She straightened her uniform, rubbed her eyes and started walking back towards the park.

*****

The shuttle had entered orbit as Amanda stared out of the portside window. Other shuttles were flying along on parallel courses, and she could make out the Citadel approaching rapidly. The surviving ships of Hammer were arranged alongside the mighty space station, forming neat lines alongside. As the shuttle began to bank, she could make out other landing platforms with hundreds of shuttles approaching. The forthcoming ceremony of remembrance was being attended by most of the surviving crews.

It had taken Amanda over an hour to arrive at the remembrance auditorium. She was guided towards the main lectern, and was surprised to encounter Shepard's crew along with all the Council members, senior military officers including Hackett, and other assorted dignitaries. She was deeply nervous about approaching them, but Hackett had noticed Amanda's discomfort and intervened.

"Ah, Captain… I'm glad you're here. I'd like you to meet some truly remarkable individuals."

Amanda approached the Admiral, and he turned towards Doctor T'Soni.

"Liara… I'd like to introduce you to one of my most respected officers."

She turned to face Amanda, and offered her a handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you… Shepard spoke highly of you."

Liara was smiling, but it was clearly evident she was barely able to maintain her composure. Amanda cupped her hands around Liara hand in support, and quietly whispered. "I'm sorry… I wish she was here too…"

Both Amanda and Liara shared a moment of mutual comfort, then a voice from behind spoke.

"Dignitaries and honoured guests, please take your seats."

The sounds of chatter abruptly finished, then Hackett stepped forward.

"We're here to honour our fallen comrades, beloved family members and cherished friends. If it wasn't for their selfless sacrifice, none of us would be here today. As we rebuild our shattered worlds, we must also remember two individuals that were instrumental in our victory. Today we honour Commander Shepard and Admiral Anderson. Two brave and courageous souls, both of which will be sorely missed. Several of their closest friends and colleagues have asked to speak here today…"

Hackett stepped back to allow the first speaker to approach. Garrus nervously approached the lectern, then began to speak.

"Prior to meeting Shepard, I was a disillusioned C-SEC officer. But shortly after the encounter and witnessing her courage on the battlefield, I knew this brave woman and I would become firm friends. We survived the first Citadel attack, the desperate mission to the Collector base and finally towards Earth on the final assault, I knew in my heart that we'd stand or fall together. It pains me to know of her sacrifice, that I wasn't with her at the end. But our presence here is a clear testimony to her greatness. I'm not a particularly spiritual being, but I'd like to think she's now a being of light looking down on us."

Garrus stepped down, clearly upset. Another stepped forward and briefly comforted the Turian. After speaking briefly to Garrus, Wrex moved to the Lectern.

"I too was directionless until I met Shepard. The whole Krogan race was in disarray, facing an uncertain future and the eventual extinction at the hands of the Genophage. Shepard gave us hope, and today we are free of this insidious affliction. We didn't have a future… now we do! Of all the souls that I have encountered… she was the most…"

Wrex began to choke on the words, but managed to complete the sentence.

"…Krogan!"

Over the next hour, more individuals stepped forward, recalling their own memories and experience of both Shepard and Anderson. Then Hackett stepped forward and began to address the crowd.

"We now commit our honoured dead to the infinite deep of interstellar space. Please stand…"

The repaired Normandy slowly approached and stopped overhead, it's forward hangar bay slowly opening. Two capsules quietly drifted out into space, and headed out along an honour guard formed from the surviving cruisers. As each capsule passed a cruiser, the cruisers lateral thrusters fired. This caused the ships, one-by-one, to pitch forward. This made them bow respectively as the coffins moved past.

Liara whispered quietly to herself. "Goodbye my love… one day we'll be together again…"

EPILOGUE

It had been several hours since Liara had started to recite the story of the Intrepid, and now Liara was resting. EDI collected her belongings, and quietly returned to her cruiser in orbit overhead. Shortly after the SSV David Anderson resumed its course back to Earth, Liara woke from her slumber.

Looking up at her bedside cabinet, she opened the upper drawer and removed a small velvet pouch. She sighed as the small rectangular object was removed, and Liara lifted it up to the light. It showed signs of scorching, but the letters N7 and the name Shepard could still be visible.

"Goddess, I'm ready to cross the endless sea…"

What happened next was completely unexpected… a familiar voice answered…

AND I'LL BE THERE FOR ALL TIME, MY LOVE…

"It can't be… Shepard?"

OF COURSE, I'M HERE… ALWAYS AND TOGETHER…

"It's getting dark, but I can see you clearly… how can this be?"

THE TRANSFORMATION… ORGANICS BECOMING MORE SYNTHETIC… SYNTHETICS BECOMING MORE ORGANIC… I AM THE LINK CONNECTING BOTH…

"I want to be with you, wherever that is…"

I AM EVERYWHERE… NOWHERE… EVEN AFTER 900 YEARS THERE ARE STILL MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS…

"I'm afraid…"

DON'T BE… NOW SLEEP MY SWEET… AND ONCE YOU AWAKEN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND…

A few minutes later, a nurse passes near the doorway leading to Liara's room… The nurse dropped the data pad she was carrying as the heart monitor alarm burst into life. Rushing into the room, the nurse was astonished to discover the room deserted. The only object lying on the bed was the badly scorched Alliance Navy dog tags…

THE END


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